Worship

Worship: Its Priority, Principles, and Practice

John 4:24; Phil. 3:3; Matthew 15:9; Colossians 2:23

We live in times when there is a vast quantity of public religious worship. Most English people who have any respect for appearances go to some church or chapel on Sundays. To attend no place of worship in this country, whatever may be the case abroad, is  at present the exception and not the rule. But we all know that quantity is of little value without quality. It is not enough that we worship sometimes. There remains behind a mighty question to be answered: "How do we worship?"

Not all religious worship is right in the sight of God. I think this is as clear as the sun at noon to any honest reader of the Bible. The Bible speaks of worship which is "in vain", as well as worship which is true, and of "will-worship", as well as spiritual worship. To suppose, as some thoughtless persons do, that it signifies nothing where we go on Sundays, and matters nothing how the thing is done, provided it is done, is mere childish folly. Merchants and tradesmen do not carry on their business in this fashion. They look at the way their work is done, and are not content with work done anyhow. Let us not be deceived. God is not mocked. The question, "How do we worship?" is a very serious one.

I propose to unfold the subject of worship, and to lay down some scriptural principles about it. In a day of profound ignorance in some quarters, and of systematic false teaching in others, I hold it to be of primary importance to have clear ideas about all disputed points in religion. I fear that thousands of men and women can render no reason of their faith and practice. They do not know why they believe, or what they believe, or why they do what they do. Like children, they are tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine, and are liable to be led astray by the first clever heretic who meets them. In a day like this let us try to get hold of some distinct notions about Christian worship

~J. C. Ryle~

(continued with # 2)